THE cost of lighting the Hunter’s streets has skyrocketed by up to 65 per cent over the past three years, adding millions of dollars to the bills of the region’s struggling councils.

Making things worse, the councils say, is a delayed rollout of more energy-efficient street lighting by energy providers.

Figures from the five Lower Hunter councils show street light costs have risen by 32 per cent to 65 per cent since 2010.

An Ausgrid spokeswoman said the Australian Energy Regulator ‘‘determines what it believes to be the efficient cost of this service’’.

‘‘Ausgrid only charges the councils the actual cost of the service, nothing more,’’ the spokeswoman said.

Hunter councils are among 34 NSW councils to have joined the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils to challenge Ausgrid’s street lighting charges and policies.

The councils claim they are being forced to pay high charges for old and over-valued street lighting assets. The Australian Energy Regulator has joined councils in arguing unsuccessfully in a tribunal of the Federal Court for changes to electricity laws to allow fairer valuations.

Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils general manager Alan Northey said the next regulatory review for pricing from 2014 to 2019 had begun.

AN audit of 500 street lights found 8 per cent were not working, Lake Macquarie councillor Robert Denton said.

Cr Denton did the audit in Kahibah, Charlestown, Cardiff, Barnsley and Edgeworth.

‘‘If 8 to 10 per cent of the lights are always out, are we entitled to an 8 to 10 per cent refund?’’ Cr Denton said.

Residents in Lake Avenue, Cardiff South; Marshall Street, Cardiff Heights; Thomas Street, Barnsley; and Northville Drive, Barnsley, reported street lights being out for a long time, up to two years in some cases.